Pennywise closes over heiress’ death

TENTATIVE arrangements for a funeral tomorrow were yesterday being made by relatives of Dian Paladee, the Pennywise stores heiress who was shot dead Thursday by her ex-husband.

Family members were yesterday still in shock over the murder-suicide carried out by Paladee’s ex-husband, Sanjeev Rambarran, 44, who turned a shotgun on himself after killing the 48-year-old mother of two.

Rambarran’s funeral is set for noon today at Belgrove’s Funeral Home, Coffee Street, San Fernando, one of the dead man’s relatives told the Express yesterday.

Members of Rambarran’s family were yesterday cleaning up his Bidassie Street, St Augustine apartment, where the tragedy took place.

The Pennywise chain of cosmetic stores, which was started by Paladee’s father, Lall Paladee, also deceased, was yesterday closed at all locations.

The bodies of Paladee, who was a teacher at the El Dorado South Hindu School, and Rambarran, a manager at Carib Brewery, were found on Thursday morning at Rambarran’s apartment.

Paladee’s brother, Satnarine Paladee, told the media on Thursday that his sister was due to have joined the rest of her siblings for dinner at the family’s home on Prescott Lane, Pasea, Tunapuna, on Wednesday evening.

When she failed to show, the family called her home at Prishanti Drive, Orchard Gardens, where one of her children said she had left for Tunapuna some time before.

Family members proceeded to Orchard Gardens, searching along the way for Paladee’s vehicle, in the event she had been involved in an accident.

When a search was unsuccessful, the family filed a missing person report at the Tunapuna and St Joseph Police Stations and also reported Paladee missing to the Anti-Kidnapping Squad (AKS).

Relatives had also become fearful that Rambarran, who was known to be abusive towards Paladee, might have kidnapped her or that she might have gone to his house.

Paladee had been warned by her family that Rambarran was unlikely to stop being abusive, Satnarine Paladee had said.

Although the couple had divorced in 2010, they remained “close” and Satnarine said his sister felt that her affection might have helped Rambarran to change.

Around 3.30 a.m. on Thursday, the family learned of Rambarran’s St Augustine apartment and they proceeded to that location, together with AKS officers.

Paladee’s Toyota RAV 4 SUV was parked in the garage, along with her ex-husband’s Toyota Hilux.

The front and back doors were locked and AKS called out to Paladee but got no answer.

Officers kicked open the door and a search led them to the bodies of Paladee and Rambarran on the bed in the master bedroom.

An autopsy on Thursday stated that Paladee had been killed by a single gunshot to the head.

Rambarran was also killed the same way, after placing the barrel of the shotgun in his mouth and using a crowbar to pull the trigger.